Sunday, May 3, 2009

After Ella's party on Friday we were left with a ton of leftovers from several deli trays. What can a family of four do with a veggie tray, a bunch of condiments and a pound of cold cuts? I decided to make a supper using as many of the ingredients as possible. The end result was Pasta Primavera with an Italian Salad and bread pudding for dessert. Here's a rough breakdown of what I cooked...

3 cups of chopped tomatoes (there were about 8 sliced tomatoes on the condiment tray)

15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon chopped basil (2 teaspoons, if fresh)

1 teaspoon chopped parsley (2 teaspoons, if fresh)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 box pasta of your choice, we used brown rice spaghetti

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot. Add onions and garlic and cook until the begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 1 minute. Add the

assortment of vegetables and cook until they soften, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauce. Stir. Add spices. Bring to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes, or longer for better flavor. Make pasta according to instructions. Serve with Parmesan and crushed red pepper.

Italian Cold Cut Salad

Chopped Lettuce

Chopped tomatoes

Salami, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Ham, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Turkey, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Cheeses, sliced into 1/2" pieces or strips

Chopped Cucumber

Pepperocinis, sliced

Can of garbanzo beans

Can of sliced black olives

Can of artichoke hearts or hearts of palm, optional

Cover the bottom of a serving platter with lettuce. Pile the meats and cheeses in the center. Place the remaining ingredients around the perimeter, in whichever fashion suits you. Serve with Italian dressing.

Bread Pudding (Shhhh, don't tell Ella! This one contains wheat, but could easily be made with wheat free bread or rolls.)

1 bag of leftover dinner rolls, cubed into 1" cubes

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

1 sliced banana

butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a glass dish. Put the bread into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Drizzle mixture over the bread and toss. Add the raisins and toss again. Let rest on the counter for about 15 minutes, tossing frequently. Pour into the greased pan and top with the sliced bananas. Bake for 35 minutes or until the egg mixture is set. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

This is also good as leftovers for breakfast. Serve it with maple syrup.

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Food Allergies?

This is a blog for people who are limited in what they can eat. The focus of this blog is primarily wheat/gluten and nut free. Many of the recipes include dairy ingredients which can easily be substituted with a soy or non-dairy alternative. No recipes include shellfish or sesame. Another focus is healthy living through the use of organic foods and enriching activities like exercise and hobbies. I try to keep current on articles that are published about food allergies and their possible causes. If you know anyone with food allergies or happen to have them yourself, this blog is for you!

About Me

I hold a BS in Home Economics and Interior Design from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I have been a Set Decorator and Interior Designer for over 15 years, having worked on many films and television shows. Most recently, I won a Primetime Emmy for Best Art Direction for a Multi-camera Series for my work on Fox's MasterChef.
We have two young children... Milo, 6, and Ella, 8. My Husband is a comedy writer, whose Tweets are MUCH more entertaining than mine could ever be!
When I was 34 I found out that I am allergic to shellfish, after having eaten it my entire life.
My daughter has severe food allergies, including peanuts, sesame, and all nuts. She is especially allergic to pistachios. She had previously been allergic to wheat, eggs and soy... thankfully, she has seemingly outgrown those allergies.
Cooking for a child is usually a challenge, but finding things for an allergic kid to eat is next to impossible.
I started this blog because I have been learning so much and am eager to share information. Because I love to cook, recipes are a huge part of what I am posting.
It IS possible to live well with food allergies. Thanks for reading...